Indiana University team participates in inaugural public policy advertising competition

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Two Indiana University Bloomington students participated in the inaugural Media Scholars Week and Washington Media Scholars Case Competition in Washington, D.C. The competition challenged college undergraduates to create the best strategic media plan for a hypothetical public policy campaign.

Danka Milic, 19, from Winnetka, Ill., a junior with a double major in political science and astrophysics, and Andrew Yolles, 23, from Washington, D.C., a graduating senior with a double major in political science and history, submitted a top-notch strategic media plan that earned them a place in the finals.

Participants on the inaugural Media Scholars Case Competition included IU students Danka Milic, fifth from left, and Andrew Yolles, fourth from right.

In total, 65 teams participated in the new program from the Washington Media Scholars Foundation during the week of June 6. The two Indiana University students competed against finalist teams from Arizona State University, Barry University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Two Michigan State University students won the competition and received $2,500 scholarships. Their school won an additional $5,000 in scholarships in the nonpartisan program, which highlights as a potential career path the role public affairs experts play in developing public policy campaigns and media plans.

Each participating team received the same hypothetical referendum issue, advertising costs, poll numbers and targets, and had six weeks to act as combined campaign manager and media buying strategist. The teams developed a media plan for the referendum issue targeted to Washington, D.C., voters in a projected low turnout election.

In the finals, the teams made half-hour presentations to top national public affairs experts who questioned and judged their strategic plans. The awards were announced at a networking reception that capped a week in which all 12 finalists were flown to Washington and participated in a series of educational and networking events. The students got a chance to meet, interact and learn from leading Washington area media organizations, advertising agencies and media buying companies.

The Washington Media Scholars Foundation, which sponsors the event, is a new non-partisan 501(c)3 foundation committed to advancing opportunities for undergraduate college students interested in public policy media strategy, research and management. The foundation is supported by dozens of national and local media organizations, across all media platforms.